The Detroit Free Press is reporting today that MSU Football defensive lineman Demetrius Cooper is facing misdemeanor assault and battery charges, stemming from an incident on October 30, 2016.

Cooper is accused of spitting in the face of an East Lansing Parking and Code Enforcement officer's face after being cited for a parking violation. The officer reportedly saw Cooper's vehicle illegally parked on Grand River Avenue near Abbot Road just before 9:00 PM on October 30. Cooper told the officer he was running into a restaurant to correct his take out order.

Cooper reportedly walked out of the restaurant and saw the PACE officer giving him a ticket for impeding traffic. Cooper accepted that ticket, but walked back into the restaurant. The PACE officer then began to write a second citation to which Cooper threatened to spit in the officer's face. The officer reports that Cooper "spit a large amount of saliva" into his face. Cooper denies spitting, but admits threatening to spit.

After driving away from the scene, an East Lansing Police Officer stopped Cooper and had his vehicle towed due to a reported driver's license violation. Cooper was reportedly arrested for the misdemeanor assault and battery charges in November 2016. He faces a maximum 93 days in jail and fines up to $500.

Cooper started in 11 MSU Football games and played in all 12 of the Spartans' games in 2016. He was not suspended after the October incident.

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